Billfold



July 30, 1940.

M. E. TROLLEN BILLFOLD Filed May 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

4 #i-l----:' w .vllllllllal ll illllli July 30, 1940.

M. E. TROLLEN BILLFOLD Filed May 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l I l I l lx INVENTOR.

TTORNEYS.

Patented July 30, 1940 UNlTED star-Es TENT (lFFiC-IE 2,209,486 BILLFOLDMartin E. Trollen, St. Paul, Minn, assignor to Brown & Bi'gelow, St.Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application May 5, 1938, SerialNo. 206,188

6 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in billfolds, wherein it isdesired to provide a billfold in which may be conveniently contained .aseries of keys.

Various types of billfolds have previously been constructed in whichkeys have been contained. Most of these billfolds have contained aseparate fold in which a series of hooks have been suspended forremovably engaging the keys. The only billfold with which I am familiarwhich does not include such a key supporting means encloses keys in aninner pocket in such a manner that it is difiicult toremove the keyswithout opening up the entire billfold. The use of key supporting meansin a billfold of this type necessarily'increases the thickness of thebillfold very materially, and for this reason is disadvantageous in itsconstruction. A key case containing such key suspending means isnecessarily quite thick, and the provision of a billfold in additionmakes the billfold extremely thick and undesirable.

It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a billfold embodyinpockets which are adapted to contain keys and which are enclosed by acover flap means which may be disengaged to expose the keys withoutopening the billfold or disturbing the contents thereof. With such aconstruction the contents o-fthe billfold are not icplayed when a key isbeing inserted or removed, 30 and the key may be more readily insertedor removed with a minimum of effort.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a billfold having anouter covering and an inner covering which comprises afold of leather orfabric material. With this design it is possible for me to cut a keycovering flap from the fold of material and thus to construct thebillfold with the fewest possible number of parts. By cutting the flapdirectly from the fold forming the inner wall of the billfold, it ispossible by the mere addition of a pocket'forming portion and a flapengaging portion to complete the billfold in a simple and effectivemanner..

It is a further purpose of my inventionto provide a billfold havingouter and inner walls between which currency may be contained, and toform a pocket normally concealed but opening out on the inner wall ofthe billfold when the same has been opened flat. Thus the pocket andcover flap for the same are normally concealed by the central fold ofthe billfold, but may be readily seen when the billfold is folded outinto flat position without exposing any of the other contents of thebillfold.

It is a further feature of my invention to provide a construction inwhich the keys are readily available from an external surface of thebillfold when the same is in unfolded position, so that the keys may beeasily and readily removed therefrom. The simplicity of the constructionopen or unfolded position with parts of the same cut away to show theconstruction thereof.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional View taken on a line 2--Z of ,Figure 3. 1

Figure 3 is a front elevation view of the billfoldwith the key receivingpocket flap open.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the 'billfoldin closed position.

Figure 5 is a front elevation view of the billfold in unfolded positionwith the key pocket closed.

Figure 6 is a sectional iiii of Figure 5.

.The billfold A comprises an outer cover member it having an upperinturnedmarginal edge. H, a lower inturned overlapping edge l2, and endmarginal inturned edges H. A flat sheet of leather, fabric or othermaterial'M is enclosed between the cover sheet I!) and the foldedmarginal edge II, but does not extend beneath the inturned edges I3. Arow of stitching l5 may be provided to secure the foldedmarginaledge l Ito the outer cover H3, and this stitching extends through an edge of theflat partition sheet I4. Accordingly, this partition sheet [4 providesa, secret compartment between the sheet 14 and the outer wall H, andcurrency or'other papers may be inserted between the members Ill and I4and be concealed from sight even whenthe billfold is open.

Extending from one end to the other of the bill-' fold A, I provide apartition wall member it which is spaced from the lower edge of theouter covering It. Extending about this partition view taken on the linemember I 6, I provide at one end of the case'a fold IT, as illustratedbest in Figure 1 of the draw- ,ings. This fold I! is formed of a singlesheet of material centrally folded at I8 over the upper edge of thepartition wall l6, providing an inner fold portion I9 and an outer foldportion 20. The

folded wall I] is secured by a row of stitching 2| together with thepartition wall 16 within the inturned marginal edge l3. In other words,the stitching 2I extendsthrough the outer covering member I 8, theinturned marginal edge I3, and I through the folded portions l9 and 2Bof the fold member I! as well as through the central partition memberi6. Opposite the folded edge i8, the edges of the folded sheet I! aresecured by a row of stitching 22 between the outer -covering member l0and the inturned marginal edge l2. The partition wall l6 as has beenstated, extends above the stitching 22.

The fold member I! thus forms a pocket opening at 23 and having asimilar opening on the inner side. This pocket may be used for cards,identifying indicia, or other papers.

On the opposite end of the billfold A, I provide a folded pocket sheet24 which is centrally folded at 25 over the upper edge of the centralpartition [6. The lower free edges of the inner wall 26 and outer wall21 are secured between the inturned lower marginal edge l2, and theouter covering member by the row of stitching 22. Also enclosed withinthe inturned marginal edge I2, is a retainingpocket flap 29 which iscoextensive in width with the folded sheet 24.

One end of the inner portion 26 and outer portion 21 of the fold 24 isenclosed within the inturned edge l3 on the end of the billfold. Theseportions are held in proper position by a row of stitching 30 whichextends through the cover l0 and the inturned. marginal edge l3, as wellas through the partition member Hi and opposite sides 26 and 27 of thefolded sheet 24. Also enclosed within the marginal edge l3 and securedby the stitching 30 is the end of the flap 29.

It will be seen that the construction described to the present timeincludes a billfold having an outer covering member, an inner wallformed by the partition l6, and opposed pockets formed by the foldedsheets I! and 24. The retaining pocket flap 29 is stitched-to the foldedsheet 24 by the stitching 3|.

Stitched to the central partition wall l6 by parallel rows of stitching32, I provide a pocket member 33. This pocket member 33 is divided intoa series of vertically extending pockets by the stitching 32. Thesepockets formed by the members 33 and the stitching 32 are of sufiicientsize to contain aseries of keys B asillustrated in Figures 2 and 3 ofthe drawings.

In order to gain ready access to the pockets thus formed, I cut thefolded sheet 24 along the vertically extending lines 35 and transverselyalong a line 33 spaced from the lower edge of the outer portion 21 ofthe sheet 24. These vertical lines 35 extend to the upper fold 25. Thusa flap 3'! is formed which may normally fit in its usual position in thefolded sheet from which it was out, being retained in this position bythe pocket retaining flap 29. However, When it is desired to obtain akey within the pockets formed by the member 33 or to insert a keytherein, it is only necessary to-unfold the flap 3! into the positionillustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, whereupon the keys Bwill be instantly available. When a key is not being inserted orremoved, the flap 3'! is held in place by the retaining flap 29.

In order to facilitate the opening of the pocket flap 31, I provide atab 39 having an end 40 embedded within a portion of the flap 31. Byengagement of this tab 39, the ,flap 3'! may be pulled out from behindthe flap retaining member 29.

It will be noted that when the billfold A is closed as in Figure 4 of,the drawings, the key covering flap 3'! is concealed from view.However, by merely opening ,the billfold A into position illustrated inFigure 5 of the drawings, the flap 3? may be pulled from behind theretaining flap 29 into the position illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3.The pockets are then exposed and the keys may be inserted or removed atwill.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principlesof construction and operation of my billfold; and while I haveendeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that this is only illustrative of a means of carrying out myinvention, and that obvious changes may be made within the scope of thefollowing claims Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A billfold comprising an outer covering wall, an inner wall securedat both ends thereto, a sheet covering a portion of both sides of saidinner wall member and secured to said outer covering wall along one edgethereof, a covering flap formed in said covering member, and pocketsformed on said inner wall within said covering flap and normallyconcealed thereby.

2. A billfold comprising an outer covering wall, an inner wall securedat its ends to said outer wall, a folded sheet extending partially thelength of said inner wall to enclose a portion of the same, said foldedsheet secured at its free edges to an edge of said outer wall betweensaid ends, a flap formed in said folded sheet, and pocket means securedto said inner wall at a point normally concealed by said flap.

3. A billfold comprising an outer covering wall, an inner wall securedat its ends to said outer wall, a folded sheet extending a portion ofthe length of said inner wall to enclose a portion of the same, andsecured marginally to said outer covering wall to form a bill pockettherebetween, a flap formed in said'folded sheet which when open willexpose a part of said concealed portion of said inner wall, and keyretaining means mounted on said inner wall within said flap to beexposed when said flap is in open position.

4. A billfold comprising an outer covering wall, an inner wall securedat its ends thereto, a folded sheet terminating adjacent one end of saidinner wall and extending a portion of the length thereof to conceal aportion of both sides of said inner wall, means securing said foldedsheet marginally to said outer covering wall to form a bill pockettherebetween, a flap cut in said folded sheet toexpose a portion of theconcealed portion of said inner wall, and key retaining means secured tosaid inner wall within said flap.

5. A billfold comprising an outer wall, an inner wall secured at itsends to said outer wall, a folded sheet enclosing a portion of saidinner wall to normally conceal a portion of the same, a flap formed insaid folded sheet, a retaining flap secured to said folded sheetproviding a" pocket and acting to retain said first named flap in closedposition, and key supporting means secured to said inner wall withinsaid first named flap adapted to contain keys.

6. A billfold comprising an outer covering member, an inner wall securedat its ends to said outer cover member, a folded sheet enclosing aportion of said inner wall, means securing the edges of said sheetopposite said fold to said outer cover member along one edge of thesame,

a flap formed in said folded sheet, a retaining flap secured adjacentsaid secured edges of saidv folded sheet for forming a pocket and forretaining said first named flap normally in folded position, and keysupporting means secured to said inner wall within said flap andnormally concealed thereby, said key supporting means positioned toexpose keys supported thereby when said first named flap is in openposition.

MARTIN E. TROLLEN.

